


Regret

by KittehFran



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff without Plot, Fluffyfest, Hurt Link, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Link (Legend of Zelda) Needs a Hug, Post-Breath of the Wild, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 07:29:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19168615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittehFran/pseuds/KittehFran
Summary: Zelda finally finds out what Link would have done without her





	Regret

**Author's Note:**

> Small fluff for funs.  
> Like. Real small stuff :) something to distract me from the unerring sickness from the bloody chemo. 
> 
> And a nice little something to distract myself from all of the complicated stuff going on in my other stuff (seriously, I now have a book to keep track of what is going on...)
> 
> in the words of Despicable me:  
> ITS SO FLUFFY I COULD DIE 
> 
> xxx

“You never did tell me, what you would have done” Zelda was sitting on an over turned log, watching Link intently. After he had prepared the food for this evening so meticulously he was now starting to tidy it up – clearing the dishes and packing some of the items back into the bags. 

“What do you mean, your Highness?” Link’s tone was inquisitive, but he didn’t stop what he was doing.  
In all fairness she should have started with Link’s constant refusal to speak to Zelda by her first name – she had told him repeatedly since the calamity – over 4 months ago. Initially it had annoyed her – but now it was just a curious habit that stayed with him and would likely always stay with him. 

“Well. When we were by this tree, I asked you, what you would have done – if you hadn’t been assigned to me”  
Link looked up to the tree and was reminded which memory she was thinking of. Although she had a suspicion he knew what she was talking about. 

“I don’t know” Link busied himself with unpacking the cots, not looking at her.  
“It’s been 100 years Link. We have defeated Ganon. We have saved the Kingdom. I think you can dismiss the formalities.” Even through all of those years, both when they were together and they were apart, Link had still maintained a particular distance between them.

Yes, they were friends. But despite this he felt more comfortable keeping to himself most of the time.  
“Come on, Link. You won’t insult me. I know there must have been something else you would have liked to have done… if your father hadn’t been a soldier.” 

Link shifted slightly and Zelda tilted her head. It was obvious he was going to say something – he had started to slow his movements and he seemed to be considering whether he should say something or not.  
Zelda would normally have spoken – but she knew him well enough to remain silent. He would speak when he wanted to.

“I would like to have been a Baker in the Castle. Maybe if I was good enough… I would have been able to become a cook” there was a shrug from Link and he returned to his duty, unpacking the blankets. Surprisingly she could see Link blushing and that shocked her. He never blushed. 

What he had said seemed so very obvious. He had been forced into the role of the soldier. Whenever she watched him with his father he had been strict – putting him through his paces, making him stay awake all hours of the night if he didn’t do it right. 

When she could not sleep at night she used to watch them from her room. He must have been young as it was before Link had been assigned to her.  
But she also knew his mother – however only in passing. She would be there when Link was fighting in the coliseum. Someone so young fighting against soldiers twice his age – and twice his size. 

Link’s father had not been in any way worried – but his mother at all times looked terrified. He was not meant to be in that situation. He was meant to be at school, being taught about Mathematics and the Hylian History. 

Instead, he was being taught to strangle a man and kill Bokoblins as if it was instinct.  
The disappointment and fear in Link’s mothers’ eyes were entirely in contrast to his fathers’ pride.  
Link must have had a difficult time living in that situation, that conflict. Although she knew that he often stayed in the barracks. 

But when they were together – when Zelda had seen Link and his mother – she would see her embrace him, kiss his forehead and cup his face with her hands. It was so obvious she loved him – he was the eldest child, the only child. Watching him do this every single day must have hurt her beyond belief.  
Occasionally she would pass a small paper bag to him and she was now sure that in that bag was food – home cooked by his devoted mother. 

It seemed so very apparent that that food would be his passion – it was likely the affection for his mother that caused that in him. Perhaps if he had become a cook, he would have not been chosen by the sword.  
But she knew he would have. And in a way, she was glad he was trained in what he needed to do. 

And that made her feel as if a dagger had been plunged into her heart– how could she want him to be trained in the art of killing people, only for her own benefit.  
He had been a small, scruffy blonde runt when he was assigned to her with that sword on his back. But he knew what he was doing – likely to his own detriment. 

If he hadn’t known it – if they were trying to train him whilst they were preparing for the calamity. Goddesses, how could she even think that. She wanted him to be happy – she had always wanted that. Now she felt guilty for having asked him the question which had been burning on her mind for some time. 

Then Link stopped what he was doing – he was kneeling on the floor, holding the blanket he had been unpacking. Just stopped in a single movement. 

“But” – Zelda’s heart skipped a beat – there was a but? “I was trained to protect you. And for me – all of what happened was worth it.” He continued what he was doing as if he hadn’t paused. 

Zelda’s heart was racing as she watched him. Was there anything to say? But words would not be able to show her gratefulness to him.  
She stood and then knelt down next to him – she knew Link had noticed her moving. His ears always twitched when he was nervous. 

She stopped for a little while – uncertain what to do. But then it all seemed so stupid when she remembered Links fathers’ firmness, his mothers’ worry and she felt the tears coming up in her for no reason she understood. 

Nothing needed to be said as Zelda embraced him, pulling him towards herself. Link just stopped what he was doing, placing his hands over hers. But he didn’t move her away. They sat in that embrace for some time and Link relaxed into it, dropping the blanket and placing his hands around her waist. 

Surprisingly Zelda felt tears running down her face – she hadn’t even noticed them forming in her eyes. It was with disbelief that she found that Link seemed to have done the same.

A moment of weakness in the stoic demeanour of this young man.  
Likely a love for his mother who he had not seen enough. 

Hindsight was always a Harbor of regret.


End file.
